Personal hotel safe

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a personal safe for installation in a hotel room and for use at the convenience of a guest. The safe has a combination lock for which the combination can be set as desired by the guest. Setting of the combination is controlled by a key-operated mechanism operable by a key furnished by the hotel. The key-operated mechanism is associated with a movable member which secures the safe in closed or locked condition and access to the key-operated mechanism is provided only when the movable member is in unlocked condition.

[451 Apr. 4, 1972 [541 PERSONAL HOTEL SAFE [72] Inventor: Hilda Y. E.McMartin, Elephant Walk,

Tuckers Town, Bermuda [22] Filed: Nov. 9, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 87,845

Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney-Hanse H. Hamilton [57]ABSTRACT The invention relates to a personal safe for installation in ahotel room and for use at the convenience of a guest. The safe has acombination lock for which the combination can be set [52] U.S.Cl..l09/64, 70/316 as desired by the guest Semng of the combination is Com[51] lm'cl 1/ Eosb 37/02 trolled by a key-operated mechanism operable bya key [58] Field of Search ..l09/64,66, furnished y the hotel. Thekeyopemted mechanism is sociated with a movable member which secures thesafe in closed or locked condition and access to the key-operated [56]References cued mechanism is provided only when the movable member is inUNITED STATES PATENTS unlocked condmon- 1 3,386,275 6/1968 Potzick..70/3 1 6 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 4L l 7 I M H 2,. T a w 1.:

PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTOR ///MI Xfil/c Amen/v BY MZKMATTORNEY j I A I r Hm W M w L1;7

3M ATTORNEY PERSONAL HOTEL SAFE This invention relates to a personalsafe for use in a hotel room.

An object of the invention is to provide a safe suitable forinstallation in a hotel room for the personal use of a guest occupyingthe room. Such a safe avoids the necessity and inconvenience of placingvaluables in central safe deposit facilities which are usually provided.

In accordance with the invention, the safe is permanently installed in ahotel room and has a combination lock in which the combination may beset as desired by a guest occupying the room. A key-operated mechanismcontrols setting of the combination and is arranged so that thecombination can only be changed or set when the safe is open. A key forthe keyoperated mechanism is furnished to a guest on request so that thecombination can be set by the guest and a charge may be made for use ofthe safe.

When the combination is set by the guest, the key and a duplicate of thecombination are placed in custody of the hotel for safe keeping. Thisalso enables the hotel to open the safe and reset the combination ifrequired.

In general, a combination lock is employed to secure the safe in'aclosed condition. The lock may be a conventional type of combinationlock and preferably has ten or more setting rolls or dials withidentifying numerals thereon. As noted above, setting of the'combinationis controlled by a keyoperated mechanism which is accessible only whenthe safe is open. The key-operated mechanism may be mounted on adrawbar. or bolt which secures the safe door in a closed position withaccess to the key-operated mechanism being blocked when the safe islocked or closed. While the combination is required to open the safe,the combination cannot be changed without the key. If a guest leaves thehotel without opening the safe or changing the combination, the safe canbe opened by the combination deposited with the hotel and the key willpermit the combination to be changed or reset for use by the next guest.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal safe installed in a hotelroom and embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view ofthe personal safe shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are front views illustrating portions of the lockingmechanisms for the safe shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in locked and unlockedpositions, respectively;

FIG. 6 is fragmentary view in vertical section of a portion of thelocking mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the locking mechanism shown inFIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the locking mechanism shown inFIG. 7 as seen from the rear.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is a personal safe 10which may be permanently installed in the wall 1 l of a hotel room orthe like.

The safe 10 has a hinged door 12 which provides access to the interiorthereof. A drawbar or bolt 13 is slidably mounted on the interior of thedoor 12 and if the door 12 in closed or locked position. As shown, thedrawbar 13 may be moved between locked and open positions by turning ahandle 14 and a gear 15 which engages with the drawbar 13. It will beunderstood that other suitable linkages may be employed for this purposeis desired. When the door 12 is in locked position, an end of thedrawbar 13 extends into a recess 16a in a metal frame 16 surrounding thedoor 12.

A combination lock 17 is mounted on the door 12. A lever 18 controlledby the lock 17 engages with the drawbar 13 and prevents movement of thedrawbar to an open or unlocked position. As mentioned, the combinationlock 17 may be of a conventional type with sufficient rollers or dialsto minimize chance setting of the combination and unauthorized openingof the safe and the dials are accessible for operation through anopening 17a in the door 12 of the safe.

When the proper combination is set on the lock 17, the lever 18 movesout of engagement with the drawbar and permits the drawbar to be movedto an open or unlocked position so that the door 12 may be opened.

The combination lock 17 is of a type which can be set to differentcombinations. To set the combination, the respective dials are releasedfrom engagement with setting sleeves (not shown) by depressing or movinga setting pin or shaft 17b to the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (tothe left). This may be effected by sliding movement of a frame which isenclosed in a housing for the lock. The frame 170 is connected to an armor lever 19 which is carried on a shaft 19a extending from the drawbar13.

The shaft 19a contains a slot 20 to receive a key 21 and can be turnedby the key. When the key 21 is inserted and turned to the left(counterclockwise), the lever 19 is moved angularly and the frame 170 isslidably moved to the left. This movement 1 1; of the frame 170depresses the setting pin 17b and permits the combination to be changed.

Thus, setting of the combination can only be carried out when thedrawbar 13 is in open position or has been moved to the right asindicated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. In this position, the key slot 21 isaligned with and accessible through an opening 22 in the door 12. Whenthe drawbar 13 is in locked position, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, thekey slot 20 is out of alignment with the opening 22 and access theretois blocked by the door. This inhibits attempts to tamper with andprevents unauthorized changes being made in the combination. However,when the key 21 can be inserted in the slot 20 to tur'n'the lever 19,the combination may be changed or set as desired,

providing that the safe door is open or in condition to be opened.

Depositing of the combination and key with the hotel insures that thesafe can be opened when a guest leaves and a new combination can then beset as desired.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be madeby those skilled in the art in the embodiment of the inventionillustrated and described herein.

I claim:

1. In a personal safe for installation in a hotel room, the improvementwhich comprises:

a. a door providing access to said safe;

b. a drawbar carried by said door and being movable between locked andunlocked positions;

c. a resettable combination lock mounted on said door;

d. said combination lock engaging with and securing said drawbar in saidlocked position; and

e. key-operated means for controlling setting of said combination lock;

f. said key-operated means being accessible and operable only when saiddrawbar is in said unlocked position.

2. In a personal safe, the improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein:

a. said key-operated means includes a slot for reception of a keytherein; and

b. said safe door has an opening therein;

c. said opening being aligned with and providing access to said slot inthe unlocked position of the drawbar.

3. In a personal safe, the improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein:

a. said key-operated means is mounted on and carried by said drawbar.

4. In a personal safe for installation in a hotel room, the im-.provement which comprises:

a. a door providing access to said safe;

b. a combination lock carried by the door;

c. said lock being settable to different combinations;

d. key-operated means for controlling the setting of said lock; and

e. a movable member carried by said door and being movable betweenlocked and unlocked positions;

f. said movable member being engaged by and held in-said locked positionby said combination lock;

g. said door having an opening therein providing access to thekey-operated means for setting the combination lock only when themovable member is in said unlocked position.

1. In a personal safe for installation in a hotel room, the improvementwhich comprises: a. a door providing access to said safe; b. a drawbarcarried by said door and being movable between locked and unlockedpositions; c. a resettable combination lock mounted on said door; d.said combination lock engaging with and securing said drawbar in saidlocked position; and e. key-operated means for controlling setting ofsaid combination lock; f. said key-operated means being accessible andoperable only when said drawbar is in said unlocked position.
 2. In apersonal safe, the improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein: a. saidkey-operated means includes a slot for reception of a key therein; andb. said safe door has an opening therein; c. said opeNing being alignedwith and providing access to said slot in the unlocked position of thedrawbar.
 3. In a personal safe, the improvement as defined in claim 2wherein: a. said key-operated means is mounted on and carried by saiddrawbar.
 4. In a personal safe for installation in a hotel room, theimprovement which comprises: a. a door providing access to said safe; b.a combination lock carried by the door; c. said lock being settable todifferent combinations; d. key-operated means for controlling thesetting of said lock; and e. a movable member carried by said door andbeing movable between locked and unlocked positions; f. said movablemember being engaged by and held in said locked position by saidcombination lock; g. said door having an opening therein providingaccess to the key-operated means for setting the combination lock onlywhen the movable member is in said unlocked position.